SPITFIRE WOMEN OF WORLD WAR II by
GILES WHITTELL

Published by HarperPress
17th September 2007

"At long last these magnificent women have the tribute they deserve."Sir Ranulph Fiennes

What induced a beautiful young woman from New Orleans to drive to Montreal
and take a steamer through the U-boat lines to Liverpool in 1942? What made
the daughter of a South African diamond millionaire take up flying lessons
on her father's sofa? And why did Mary de Bunsen have to find a doctor who
was 'accustomed to the idea of women pilots'?

They wanted to fly Spitfires, Hurricanes and Lancasters, and they came to
England from every continent to do so. Gifted, determined and astonishingly
brave, the women of the Air Transport Auxiliary were the unsung heroines of
World War II. Though not allowed to fly in combat, what they did was nearly
as dangerous. Unarmed and without instruments or radios, they delivered planes
to the RAF bases from which male pilots flew into battle. At the mercy of the
weather and long-range enemy aircraft, fifteen of those women died - among them
legendary Amy Johnson.

Sixty years on, Giles Whittell travelled to the USA, Chile and South Africa
to track down more than a dozen survivors of this most exclusive wartime
sisterhood and woven their stories into a riveting account of white-knuckle
flying, late nights, soaring hopes and heartrending loss. Some of the ATA women
have never spoken publicly about their flying before, yet all were revolutionaries
in their way. Written with wit, style and genuine affection, Spitfire Women is a
fitting tribute to their courage and pioneering spirit.

In his research, Giles Whittell consulted the extensive ATA archive held by
Maidenhead Heritage Centre & Museum, close to ATA's headquarters airfield at
White Waltham, 30 miles west of London.

Maidenhead Heritage Centre is offering Spitfire Women at a special price
of £17.99 if collected or £19.99 including postage to UK addresses. Orders
from elsewhere accepted if paid with a British pounds cheque or bankers
order - please contact us to discuss delivery costs. For more details visit
our website www.maidenheadheritage.org.uk
or contact via email info@maidenheadheritage.org.uk.
This email address can also be used for
enquiries for information about ATA or ATA pilots.